Social media has become a playground where humans interact with virtual influencers, blurring the line between reality and fantasy. Welcome to the era of virtual influencers, where artificial intelligence meets marketing magic.
Influencer marketing has taken the digital world by storm, and now, a new breed of influencers has emerged—meta influencers. These AI-powered entities have found their home on Instagram, captivating millions with their impeccable style, flawless beauty, and relatable personalities. They’re not your typical flesh-and-blood influencers. Instead, they exist solely in the virtual realm, captivating hearts and minds with their pixelated perfection.
But what exactly are meta influencers, and how are they reshaping the influencer marketing landscape?
In this guide, we’ll delve into the world of virtual influencers, explore their benefits and drawbacks, and showcase case studies that demonstrate their power.
Let’s Begin!
What Are Virtual Influencers?
Virtual or CGI influencers are fictional computer-generated “people” who resemble and behave like real humans. They are gaining significant traction in the influencer marketing industry, with an increasing number of them popping up on platforms like Instagram. Brands are eagerly embracing this futuristic form of marketing.
These digital personalities use computer-generated imagery or animation to replicate human traits and personalities. Talented artists, designers, and language experts collaborate to create virtual influencers that closely resemble actual people. Like human influencers, they promote brands and products on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok.
What makes virtual influencers intriguing is their striking lifelike features and personalities. Some individuals may even mistake them for real humans. The advanced software used to create these virtual influencers can overcome the “uncanny valley” effect that often distinguishes artificial creations from real ones. While some virtual influencers intentionally have non-human appearances, many are so realistic that they are challenging to differentiate from actual people.
How Do AI Influencers Work?
Virtual influencers are a unique phenomenon in today’s social media world. They may not exist in the traditional sense, but they have become influential figures with a massive following. So, how do they actually work?
Behind each virtual influencer, some clever creators remain anonymous. These creators can be brands or individuals with a keen eye for technology. They are responsible for building the virtual influencers’ presence on platforms like Instagram and shaping their identities into internationally recognized personas.
The creators fully control how the virtual influencers look, dress, and act. They can create their appearance, style, and personality to appeal to their target audience. Additionally, they can decide who the virtual influencers associate with, date, have conflicts with, and collaborate with on Instagram.
One interesting aspect of virtual influencers is that the creators can place them in any location or situation they desire. They achieve this by editing the influencers onto various backdrops. For example, suppose the creators have designed an influencer who loves to travel. In that case, they can use a high-resolution image of an exotic destination as the backdrop, allowing the virtual influencer to experience and share their adventures virtually.
One significant advantage for the creators is that they get to keep the money generated from the virtual influencers’ brand deals. The creators reap the financial benefits as these influencers gain popularity and attract sponsorship opportunities.
In conclusion, virtual influencers result from talented creators who use technology and their creative skills to shape and manage their presence on social media platforms. They carefully craft the virtual influencers’ appearances, personalities, and interactions while maintaining control over the financial aspects of their success.
How Do Brands Benefit From Virtual Influencers?
In today’s technology-driven age, businesses need innovative and cost-effective marketing strategies. Working with influencers, especially virtual influencers, is an effective method to achieve this. Here are some advantages for brands in using virtual influencers:
- Unlimited creative possibilities: Brands can customize virtual influencers to fit their requirements, from appearance and interests to content style. This flexibility allows virtual influencers to accurately reflect the brand’s values and personalities.
- 100% brand control: Brand managers now have more influence over virtual influencers, eliminating the need to rely solely on content creators. Virtual influencers can consistently produce social media content that promotes the brand’s identity and ideals without any controversies.
- Long-term cost savings: Virtual influencers are made of pixels and can be reused indefinitely without losing their appeal. They can be placed in any location or the metaverse, aligning with the brand concept. The cost of creating their content remains constant, even as their fan base grows.
- Entrance into the metaverse: Virtual influencers can seamlessly integrate into any digital space, including the metaverse, due to their computer-generated nature. This allows brands to transition smoothly into this new digital universe, gaining trust and building emotional connections with their audience.
- Better engagement than in-person influencers: Studies have shown that online influencers, including virtual influencers, often achieve higher engagement rates than traditional influencers. Leveraging virtual influencers can boost brand engagement and connect with the target audience effectively.
Top 10 AI Influencers To Follow
Artificial intelligence is a fascinating field that has been rapidly growing in recent years. If you’re interested in keeping up with the latest trends and developments in AI, there are several influential individuals you should follow. Here is a list of the top 10 AI influencers that you should definitely check out:
1. Kyraonig
Kyraonig is a digital influencer girl created by 3D artist Johanna Jaskowska. Known for her unique blend of high fashion and anime style, Kyra has worked with big names in the fashion and cosmetics industry, like Sephora and Burberry.
2. Lil Miquela
Developed by Brud, Lil Miquela is one of the most well-known virtual influencers, with over 3 million followers on Instagram. She is known for her fashion-forward style and emotional connection with her audience. Lil Miquela has even appeared in Prada, Calvin Klein, and Samsung advertisements.
3. Lu do Magalu
Lu does Magalu was created by the online retailer Magazine Luiza. With a following of over 6 million, Lu da Magalu appears in advertisements for various products in retail and online marketplaces.
4. Shudu
Shudu, created by photographer Cameron-James Wilson, is known for her realistic appearance. She has been featured in campaigns for major brands like Balmain and Fenty Beauty, and she promotes diversity and inclusivity in the fashion and beauty industries.
5. Barbie
One of the most recognizable dolls in the world, Barbie has transformed into a virtual influencer. With a significant online following, virtual Barbie appeals to a younger audience and collaborates with companies in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle sectors.
6. Rozy Oh
Rozy Oh, created by Bluehole media corporation, combines elements of anime and K-pop. She has appeared in advertisements for companies like Puma and Converse, promoting diversity and inclusivity in the fashion and beauty industry.
7. Guggimon
Guggimon, launched by streetwear company Superplastic, stands out with his unique pop art and streetwear look. With a large following on social media, Guggimon is known for his irreverent and humorous personality.
8. Lucy
Lucy, created by digital marketing firm Yumi, is praised for her cheerful and realistic appearance. She has been featured in advertisements for companies like Coca-Cola and Benefit Cosmetics and is recognized for her emotional connection with followers.
9. Thalasya
Thalasya, created by artist and fashion designer Tomomi Itakura, stands out with her distinctive fashion sense and vibrant attire. She has collaborated with various cosmetic and clothing manufacturers and has a following of more than 38,000 on Instagram.
10. Bermuda
Bermuda, created by Brud, is a virtual pop star with a futuristic look. With a growing fan base and collaborations with companies like Samsung and Puma, Bermuda has made a name for herself in the virtual influencer world.
The Pros of Virtual Influencers
Virtual influencers, such as meta and AI influencers, have several advantages that benefit brands and marketers. Let’s take a closer look at the pros of working with these digital personas.
Pros of Meta Influencers:
- Expertise: Meta influencers are highly knowledgeable and experienced in the field of influencer marketing. They can provide valuable insights and guidance to companies and other influencers, leading to more effective influencer marketing campaigns.
- Connections: Meta influencers have extensive networks of other influencers and industry contacts. This can benefit marketers who want to collaborate with multiple influencers and create impactful campaigns.
- Efficiency: Working with a meta-influencer can streamline the campaign process. They can manage multiple influencers and ensure campaigns are executed successfully, saving time and effort.
- Authenticity: Meta influencers often exhibit genuine interest and enthusiasm, making them more authentic in the eyes of their audience. Their authenticity can enhance the impact of brand collaborations.
- Innovation: Meta influencers are quick to adopt emerging trends and technologies. Their unique perspective on digital media and content production can provide valuable insights into the future development of these areas.
Pros of AI Influencers
- Cost-effective: AI influencers do not charge for their time or services, making them a more affordable option than human influencers. This cost-effectiveness can be beneficial for brands with limited marketing budgets.
- Consistent messaging: Businesses manage and program AI influencers, ensuring consistent messaging across all materials and campaigns. This consistency helps reinforce the brand’s identity and values.
- High degree of control: Brands have a high level of control over AI influencer campaigns. They can program and modify the content to align with their objectives, giving them more control over the branding and messaging.
- Creativity: Working with AI influencers allows brands to experiment with unique and creative marketing strategies. They can leverage cutting-edge technologies like virtual reality to create innovative campaigns and engage their audience in new ways.
- Scalability: AI influencers have the advantage of being digital, allowing them to reach a vast audience without limitations based on region or availability. This scalability can significantly expand a brand’s reach and impact.
The Drawbacks of Virtual Influencers
1. Unrealistic body and life standards
They share picture-perfect posts of their seemingly perfect lives, creating pressure on social media users, especially young people and those who don’t meet the internet’s high standards. Comparing themselves to virtual influencers like Lil Miquela, some users may not even realize she is not a real person.
2. Lack of authenticity
Virtual influencers lack a real backstory, and it’s hard to relate to them as non-human, forever-young figures. Trust is also compromised, as virtual influencers have never tried or tested their recommended products. While consumers know they are not real, they still interact with them as they would with human influencers. Still, it’s important to find a balance by combining human brand ambassadors or user-generated content with virtual influencers.
3. Inability to truly experience a product
Virtual influencers also face the challenge of not truly experiencing the products they promote. They can’t try on clothes, feel makeup on their skin, or smell scents. This limits their ability to entice consumers to buy a product compared to user-generated content or human influencers. Virtual influencers may showcase clothes, but their artificial “perfect” bodies may not accurately represent how the clothing would look on a real person.
4. Uncharted territory
Virtual influencers are still a new phenomenon, and brands must be cautious. Controversies can arise, such as the criticism faced by the creators of Shudu Gram for taking away opportunities from real people of colour. Brands should also be mindful of potential backlash or lack of meaningful representation, as seen in instances where virtual influencers are involved in campaigns promoting freedom of sexuality and expression.
Are AI influencers The Future of Influencer Marketing?
In the future, influencer marketing will transform with the emergence of AI influencers on platforms like Instagram. These AI-generated figures resemble real human influencers in appearance and behavior, created using complex algorithms and machine learning. While AI influencers have gained popularity, they come with advantages and disadvantages.
It remains uncertain whether AI influencers are just a passing trend or the future of influencer marketing. However, their increasing popularity on Instagram and YouTube suggests they are here to stay. Some major brands are already planning to incorporate AI influencers into their campaigns. Nonetheless, AI influencers lack the personal and relatable connection that human influencers establish with their followers.
One intriguing aspect to consider is who will be the driving force behind AI influencers. Technology companies specializing in AI and CGI are responsible for creating these digital models. However, there is potential for brands to develop their own AI influencers, giving them greater control over their marketing strategies.
In conclusion, AI influencers have significant potential in influencer marketing. They offer insights into human interactions with robots and can shape our future. However, it is crucial to maintain a balance between AI influencers and human influencers to preserve the personal connection that fuels the success of influencer marketing.
Final Thoughts
Influencer marketing landscape is undergoing a significant change due to the emergence of meta influencers and AI influencers on Instagram. This gives brands new opportunities to connect with their target consumers in unique ways. Collaborating with meta and AI influencers has its advantages and disadvantages, but it’s undeniable that they can enhance brand recognition, engagement, and sales.
Virtual influencers have the ability to amass millions of followers on social media, just like real-life influencers, and offer marketers various avenues to reach their youthful target audiences. As brands embrace the metaverse in the coming years, virtual influencer endorsements will likely continue to grow and thrive.
Further Reads:
12 Marketing & Analytical Tools To Boost Brand’s Growth in 2023!
Micro-Influencers To Gain Customers & Grow Your Business!
How to Create a Successful Influencer Marketing Strategy?
21 Gen Z Slang & Terms That Marketers Must Know
Social Media Stats For Small Businesses in 2023!
Comments are closed.